


Another Side of the Story

by what_am_i_even_doing_tho



Series: An Unexpected Meeting [4]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bilbo Baggins is a gay disaster, Bilbo is also a little shit, F/M, Fluff, Fíli and Kíli Are Little Shits, M/M, Mentioned Tauriel, Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn, as a treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26024746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_am_i_even_doing_tho/pseuds/what_am_i_even_doing_tho
Summary: Bilbo meets Thorin’s unruly nephews, and they help to open his eyes. With a dash of mischief, of course.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins & Fíli & Kíli, Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Fíli & Kíli & Thorin Oakenshield, Fíli & Kíli (Tolkien), Kíli (Tolkien)/Tauriel (Hobbit Movies)
Series: An Unexpected Meeting [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1846132
Comments: 4
Kudos: 62





	Another Side of the Story

**Author's Note:**

> I am incredibly sorry for how long it’s taken me to post this. I know I said that I would have this up about a week after the previous part, but life has been kicking my ass, and I only started writing this like 3 days ago. I’ve been in such a foul mood that if I had tried to write it any sooner, it would’ve surely turned into angst, which was not at all what I intended. It’s here now, though, and I’d like to thank everyone who’s been following the series for being patient with me. The next part is kind of important, so I'll try not to take a month to write it.
> 
> Also huge thanks to Lish and Bat for being my sounding boards and helping me figure out how the fuck 15-year-old boys act and generally just being huge sources of motivation. Both of you have been extremely supportive, and your hype for this series is very much appreciated, if not slightly puzzling.

Whistling a merry tune, Bilbo leisurely strolled down the hall, heading for his apartment. Now that Thorin was coming over regularly, no excuses needed, the two of them had been spending a lot more time together, and it filled Bilbo with unbridled glee. The older man was fascinating, having many stories to tell of his home and of his rather large family. Bilbo could sit for hours listening to his friend speak, getting lost in his dreamy blue eyes, the world fading out until it was just them. He could even admit that, on his more tiring days, Thorin’s alluring voice had lulled him into a gentle sleep. Whenever that happened, he would wake up with a blanket draped over his shoulders and a short note in Thorin’s cramped, scrawling cursive thanking him for the tea.

A fluttery feeling passed through his chest at the thought, and Bilbo reflexively raised a hand to his forehead. That had been happening increasingly often lately, and he made a mental note to finally schedule a check-up with his doctor. He couldn’t afford to get sick now; he had a book to write and a friend to have over almost every day for afternoon tea. Being sick would have to wait until he had less pressing concerns, although he made another mental note to try to take a little bit better care of himself. If he got sick, Thorin might get sick, and that just wouldn’t do. The other man had enough to worry about as it was.

Just then, a voice down the hallway caught Bilbo’s attention, and he perked up when he recognized it as Thorin’s, “We could try out that new burger place downtown? I heard they sell milkshakes as well, although I promised your mother I wouldn’t spoil you two too much.” Bilbo stopped where he was, and his pleasant smile morphed into one of confusion. Thorin didn’t often have company, as far as he could tell. There was Balin a couple of weeks ago, but if he recalled correctly, that had been it. And even rarer was it that Thorin went out with someone, so who could be with him now?

“Oh, hell yeah!” A younger, unfamiliar voice exclaimed, cracking on the last syllable and disrupting Bilbo’s musing.

“Language, Kíli,” Thorin responded in a stern tone, one that Bilbo had never heard before. Silence answered his reprimand, and then a soft thump sounded from around the corner.

A third voice spoke up, “C’mon, Kee. Just apologize.” A heavy sigh followed, and Bilbo imagined that it was the younger who had produced it. Whoever this was, he now had no doubt that it was probably a teenager; only teens could be this moody and difficult.

“’M sorry, Uncle,” Came the overly petulant response. Bilbo listened but heard no reply, and he abruptly realized that he had been eavesdropping. Silently scolding himself for yet again invading his friend’s privacy, he decided to put an end to it and turned around the corner. He was greeted with the sight of Thorin looking as stunning and rugged as ever, sporting a thin V-neck shirt that clung to his body and dipped down far too low to be anything other than scandalous, with his signature leather jacket draped over an arm. Bilbo felt his face heat up, and he quickly, remorsefully, tore his gaze away, instead looking over at Thorin’s two companions.

A young man with long blonde hair and a scruffy beard stood next to his friend, and beside him was a shorter, gangly looking boy with hair as brown as Thorin’s own. The two of them paid him no mind at first, and Bilbo intended to wave amicably as he walked past them to go home, figuring that Thorin would be more interested in them than himself. That plan flew out the window, however, when Bilbo glanced back over at Thorin and saw that the man now wore that delightful grin that never failed to make his heart stutter, and he found that he just couldn’t pass up the chance to look at it, to look at him.

“Good morning, Thorin,” Bilbo greeted, smiling joyfully. “Didn’t expect to run into you out here; you’re not usually out and about when I get back from my morning walks.” Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Thorin’s companions were now avidly staring at him, albeit the older one was doing so with a bit more discretion. His face flushed even further under the inspection, and he fought the urge to shift his weight anxiously.

His friend’s grin had brightened, and with his usual cheer, he replied, “Good morning to you, too, Bilbo. I was just on my way to take my nephews to lunch.” Now the two boys were staring at Thorin, mouths open and eyes wide with shock, and Bilbo wondered what could possibly have warranted such a reaction. Thorin then turned to face them, and their jaws simultaneously snapped shut with an audible click, a sight that was rather amusing.

“This is Fíli, and this is Kíli,” He said, gesturing first to the elder, and then to the younger. “They’re my sister’s sons. Boys, this is Mr. Baggins, my neighbor.” 

“It’s wonderful to meet you both.” Bilbo said to the brothers, and being the polite, upstanding gentleman that he was, even when feeling a little bit lost, he thrust out his hand for them to shake. Fíli didn’t hesitate, immediately reaching out his own hand to take Bilbo’s and uttering the appropriate reply, but once it was Kíli’s turn, the boy scrunched his nose up in distaste. He received a sharp elbow to the side from his brother, and he hastily grasped Bilbo’s hand for a brief shake before he could be given another jab. 

Bilbo fought the urge to chuckle and turned back to Thorin again, “Well, I’m sure you lot will have fun with that. I’ll see you later, Thorin.”

Thorin said his own goodbye, and Bilbo was ready to head home, but Kíli suddenly jumped and said, “Wait, Mr. Baggins, you should come with us!” Bilbo paused mid-step and looked over in confusion at the boy who now wore a grin entirely too mischievous for his liking. Distantly, he noted that the look was one he had seen many times on his friend, usually right before he said something embarrassing.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t intrude like that,” Bilbo responded hurriedly. “This is time for you and your uncle to spend together.”

“But we get together all the time!” Kíli insisted. “It would be fun to have you along, right, Fee?”

Fíli remained silent, but there was a contemplative glint in his eyes that almost made Bilbo more nervous than the grin his younger brother still bore. Unsure how to answer, and unsure what to do, he stood there staring at them blankly for a moment. Thorin seemed to sense his great distress and courageously came to his rescue like the good friend that he was.

Sighing heavily, he shook his head and gave Kíli a stern look, “Mr. Baggins has better things to do than come to lunch with me and you two hooligans.” Bilbo swore he had heard a touch of regret in Thorin’s tone, but it was probably just his imagination; there was no way that was right.

Kíli deflated at his uncle’s words, seemingly crestfallen, but his brother suddenly broke his silence to ask, “Do you?”

After blinking dumbly at him for a moment, Bilbo responded, “Do I what?”

“Have something better to do?”

A warning glare from Thorin was sent Fíli’s way, but he didn’t retract the question. Bilbo raised a finger, mouth open to answer, before he stopped short. Did he? He had no plans for the rest of the day, although he did need to work on his book. That could always wait until this afternoon, or even this evening, though, couldn’t it? Yes, it could most certainly wait, meaning he had no plans for the near future, and thusly nothing better to do. Pleased that he had thought of the answer, he smiled and shook his head no, and then immediately realized his error. Kíli’s face had brightened considerably, and Fíli wore a look of smug satisfaction. Now Bilbo understood that Thorin hadn’t been joking when he called them hooligans; he had played right into their hands.

“Well, if you haven’t got anything better to do, you should totally come with us.” Kíli reasoned with an air of finality.

“That is, of course,” Fíli said with an exaggeratedly thoughtful look, still smirking. “Unless Uncle doesn’t want Mr. Baggins to come. Maybe he doesn’t like him that much.”

Thorin looked as if it were taking every ounce of his self-control to refrain from strangling his nephews then and there, and Bilbo couldn’t have stopped the laughter that bubbled up even if he tried. The brothers, who were only barely containing their mirth, turned to him in surprise, and he decided to have some fun and play along.

“Is that it, Thorin?” He asked, allow a teasing smile to stretch his lips to ensure the other man knew that he was just joking. “Do you not like having me around?”

Disbelief painted across his face, Thorin looked from Bilbo, to his nephews, and back again before another sigh escaped him and a tiny smile adorned his face, “You know that isn’t the case at all, Bilbo.” Not expecting the soft response, Bilbo stammered and felt as if his cheeks had once again caught ablaze. Fíli and Kíli looked almost as shocked as he felt at this turn of events, which was only slightly comforting, if he were being honest. Before Bilbo had sufficient time to figure out how to answer, Thorin continued.

“You can come along, if you wish,” He said, a smile still on his face. “But there’s no pressure to join. Right, boys?” The brothers, who had apparently been stunned into silence, nodded in agreement.

With a faint, breathy chuckle, Bilbo nodded, too, “I’d like that very much.” Thorin positively beamed at this, and for a moment, Bilbo thought his legs might give out. Ignoring the devious grins that had sprung back up on the brothers’ faces, he asked Thorin to wait a moment while he changed out of his slightly sweaty clothing. As he opened the door to his apartment, he heard Kíli mumble something about how Thorin probably preferred the sweaty look. Bilbo quickly slammed his door shut and leaned against it for support, face burning fiercely and feeling rather faint, but not before he heard a low growl coming from his friend and another thump, presumably Fíli smacking his little brother.

``````````````````````````````````````

One hurried shower and fifteen minutes later, the four of them were on their way to lunch. The brothers were up ahead, talking to each other, and Kíli was gesturing animatedly, seemingly excited about something. Every now and then they would briefly glance back to Thorin and Bilbo, who were walking further behind, and every time they did, unease would crawl up Bilbo’s spine. Judging by how obvious it was that they found great pleasure in causing mischief, he figured that the two of them were probably up to no good. He decided to voice his concerns to his friend, who responded with a dry chuckle.

“They’re always scheming, those two,” Thorin answered, wry smile on his lips. “They get that from their mother.”

Bilbo hummed in acknowledgement before a thought crossed his mind, and he spoke without even realizing it, “Are you sure they don’t get that from you, too?” Thorin stared at him, shocked, and Bilbo felt his ears burn with embarrassment.

He was about to apologize, but Thorin’s hearty chuckle cut him off, “Alright, alright, you have me there. Maybe it comes from both of us.” A beat passed, and Thorin eyed him critically. “Although, you certainly didn’t help matters any.”

It was Bilbo’s turn to laugh, and he held his hands up in a placating gesture, “They’re the ones who started it. I just couldn’t resist joining in at the end.”

“Yes, they have a talent for that,” Thorin replied, a thoughtful grimace on his face. “Roping others into their plans, whether the third party does so wittingly or otherwise.”

“I wonder,” Bilbo mused. “is it any better than it used to be with Fíli having grown up? Surely, he’d have matured some in the past few years.”

Snorting in amusement, Thorin shook his head, “He’s more mature, yes, and he has a better understanding of when something isn’t appropriate. He’s gotten much better at hiding when he’s scheming, though, which almost makes him more of a menace. And Kíli, who used to do whatever Fíli told him to without question, now thinks for himself. That means that Fíli isn’t the only one coming up with the plans anymore.”

Bilbo tried to imagine all the trouble the two of them might’ve caused over the years, and decided that was something he’d rather not think about, favoring instead to ask another question, “How old are they now?”

“Kíli is fourteen, although if you ask him directly, he’ll insist he’s fifteen because his birthday is next month,” Bilbo snickered quietly at that as Thorin finished. “And Fíli is twenty, now.”

“Well, they’re still young,” Bilbo smiled sympathetically. “Maybe they’ll grow out of it.” 

Thorin nodded, “Maybe.” A barely-there smile then took over his features, and Bilbo got the sense that his friend hoped his nephews would never change.

“Or, you know,” He teased. “Maybe they’ll always be like this, and they’ll be pulling pranks when they’re old and grey.” A loud, startled laugh was his response, and Bilbo chalked the comforting warmth that had just flooded him up to pride at having elicited such a reaction from his friend.

Eventually, Thorin answered, shaking his head, “I certainly hope that isn’t the case.” Bilbo, though, knew otherwise.

``````````````````````````````````````

After arriving at their destination, Thorin volunteered himself to order their food, leaving the brothers and Bilbo to claim a table. Once seated, Bilbo struck up conversation with the two, talking about everything and nothing while they waited, although Kíli seemed to care more about his phone than small talk. Bilbo paid it no mind, knowing how attached to their phones some teenagers seemed to be, but after five minutes, Fíli had apparently had enough.

“Kee, put the phone away,” He said in a disapproving tone. “You’re being rude.”

“Aw, but you guys are boring,” Kíli groaned in response, and he tried his best not to take offense. “’Sides, I’m talking to Tauriel.” Fíli rolled his eyes fondly at that, and Bilbo perked up at the almost wistful smile that had stretched the younger’s lips.

“And who’s Tauriel?” He asked, hoping to draw the younger into a conversation. Instead, and much to Bilbo’s confusion, Kíli instantly froze, face turning bright red and looking like a dear caught in the headlights. A downright evil grin grew on Fíli’s face, and Bilbo found himself leaning away ever so slightly in apprehension, beginning to regret ever asking.

“Tauriel,” Fíli said, stressing the name and drawing it out teasingly. “Is Kíli’s new girlfriend. He’s been completely smitten with her for almost a year, and they’ve only just started going out.” Kíli, who no longer seemed capable of speech, slowly slouched over in his seat, pulling the hood of his sweatshirt up and awkwardly playing with one of the strings.

Apparently oblivious to his brother’s distress, Fíli continued, “She actually got so sick of waiting on him, that she was to the one to ask.”

Here, Kíli sat up a little bit straighter, and he spoke in a defensive tone, “I just didn’t want to push my luck!” In a softer voice, he continued. “And anyway, it was really cute when she came up to me and threatened to shave my head if I didn’t go on a date with her.”

If Bilbo were being honest with himself, that sounded awfully frightening, but he wasn’t one to judge. After the initial embarrassment had worn off, Kíli spent the next ten minutes gushing about his girlfriend, and he found it rather sweet that the boy cared so much. Then, absently checking the time during a lull in the conversation, Bilbo noticed that Thorin had been standing in line for almost twenty minutes.

Fíli must have caught on to that as well, for not a moment later he let out a laugh, “Uncle is never going to want to come back here after this. He’s much too impatient.” Kíli, who had returned to his phone, chuckled as well and shook his head.

“Well, unless the food is miraculously good,” He said, a pitying smile on his face. “Those poor employees will have to have to face his wrath.” A shudder ran through the teen’s body then, and before Bilbo could determine whether or not it had been for dramatic effect, Fíli answered.

“And that, little brother, is why I hope I never have to work in the food industry,” He grimaced. “Customers are just too rude and impatient.”

Seeing an opportunity to jump in, Bilbo asked, “And what do you do, Fíli?”

Grimace still firmly in place, the young man answered, “I’m a full-time student, right now. Business major at the university in town.”

“Fee was heir to the company before it tanked,” Kíli piped up, putting his phone in his pocket and taking off his hood. “Since Uncle doesn’t have any kids of his own.”

Looking slightly aghast, Fíli gaped, “Kíli! Mr. Baggins doesn’t know about Uncle’s company. Don’t go spilling his life story to everyone you meet.”

Kíli look suitably chagrined, but Bilbo was quick to reassure him, “Don’t worry; Thorin told me all about it a couple of weeks ago. And please, just call me Bilbo. None of this ‘Mr. Baggins’ nonsense.”

Both brothers blinked in shock at him, and he found it both endearing and terrifying that the two were so in synch with each other. After a silence that lasted long enough to make Bilbo wish that Thorin would come back, or that he could crawl under the table and hide, Fíli finally spoke.

“He… He did?” He asked faintly. “And when did you meet him?”

“Hmm, let’s see,” Bilbo responded, thinking out loud. “Well, it’s May now, and we met in early April, so I’d say about five weeks have passed.”

Fíli frowned thoughtfully, seeming to sit on that bit of information, and Kíli spoke in an absentminded tone, “Wow, you’ve only known him for a little over a month, and you’re already dating. You guys must be pretty desperate.”

A noise of surprise escaped the older brother, and pure horror was etched into his features. Bilbo, who had been taking a sip from his water bottle, choked and started coughing. Amidst his teary-eyed spluttering, he saw Fíli smack the side of Kíli’s head, and the teen had the decency to look sheepish, if only slightly. Bilbo was certain that if he didn’t die from a lack of oxygen in that moment, he would surely die from unadulterated embarrassment.

While he was still struggling to breathe, Fíli addressed him, “I am so sorry! Please, forgive his idiocy. I swear he has manners and knows how to use them.” Kíli shot his brother a dark look at that, which Fíli ignored.

Once Bilbo could get enough air in to speak, he answered, “No, no, that’s quite alright. Teenagers aren’t exactly renowned for their filters. I can assure you, however, that your uncle and I are definitely not dating.”

Kíli opened his mouth to respond, a doubtful look on his face, but an elbow to the ribs kept him quiet, and Bilbo didn’t think he had ever been so thankful for an act of violence. A few uncomfortable moments later, Thorin finally reappeared, arms laden with food and a scowl on his face. Kíli sniggered to himself while Fíli quickly stood up to help set their food on the table, Thorin grumbling about slow service all the while. Bilbo watched with a fond smile on his face, and once all the food was laid out, Fíli and Thorin sat down. When Thorin pulled up to the table, his arm momentarily brushed against Bilbo’s, and the shorter man was suddenly acutely aware of how close they were. His heart pounded like a drum in his chest, and he held his breath, waiting for Thorin to move away.

Except he didn’t. Thorin froze for a second, likely realizing the same thing Bilbo had, and then he simply relaxed and started eating. Bilbo exhaled slowly and told himself that this was okay. Over the weeks that they’ve been having tea together, Thorin’s chair had slowly gravitated closer and closer to his own chair, until it was no longer on the opposite side of the table, but right next to his. He was used to sitting next to Thorin, close to him even. His heart would beat frantically in his chest the whole time, but he no longer froze up except for that initial contact. Now, though, he was just as flustered as the first day they had brushed arms during tea. Bilbo figured that it was the residual embarrassment from Kíli’s comment earlier, but acknowledging that did nothing to ease his suffering.

Thorin caught on rather quickly to Bilbo’s discomfort, and wasn’t that embarrassing all on its own. With a concerned frown, he moved his chair slightly further away so that their arms wouldn’t brush nearly as often, and Bilbo was baffled to feel a pang in his heart at the barely increased distance. While he was lost in thought, trying to puzzle it out, Thorin had then turned his frown onto his nephews, who looked far too smug for any of what transpired to have been an accident, and he took on more of a disapproving air.

“What did you two troublemakers do to Mr. Baggins?” He asked, a single, lovely eyebrow arched in displeasure.

Before either brother could speak up and potentially make things worse, Bilbo was quick to interrupt, “Oh, no, they didn’t do anything. We were just having a pleasant conversation, that’s all.”

His friend seemed thoroughly unconvinced, but Fíli added, “We were just talking about how patient Bilbo must be to constantly put up with you.” Bilbo’s eyes widened in surprise, and Thorin scowled, muttering about ungrateful nephews. The sudden image of a disgruntled cat appeared in his mind, and his amusement made itself known with a peal of laughter. Thorin raised his eyebrow again at the outburst, but it was obvious that he was fighting a losing battle to keep a grin off his face. The snarky comment and resulting chuckles had lightened the atmosphere at the table, and he listened with interest as Thorin caught up with his nephews. He became so relaxed, in fact, that when Thorin’s chair once again shifted closer, he barely even reacted.

As the conversation wore on, Bilbo found himself speaking less and less, more content to just sit there and listen to the soothing sound of his friend’s voice. He propped an elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand, and observed Thorin as he spoke. He saw the way the older man’s eyes would dance with quiet mirth when hearing tales from Kíli of the shenanigans he’d gotten up to, the way they’d twinkle with pride when Fíli talked about how well he was doing with his classes. He watched as Thorin told his stories, nodding along and smiling subconsciously whenever the other would turn to him. He lost track of time, the minutes slipping away like sand through his fingers, until he was finally broken out of his reverie when Thorin excused himself to use the restroom.

The very moment their uncle was out of earshot, the brothers zeroed in on Bilbo, like a pair of predators cornering their prey, matching Cheshire grins adorning their faces. Bilbo instantly stiffened, wondering what other horrifically humiliating things they had in store for him. He didn’t have to wait very long to find out, and he wasn’t quite sure if that meant he should consider himself lucky or doomed.

“Y’know, Bilbo,” Fíli drawled, serious tone at odds with the apparent sadistic glee written across his features. “I’ve never seen Uncle this happy before.”

“What do you mean?” Bilbo asked, more than a little confused. “He’s always been like this.”

Kíli snorted with disbelief, “God, no. He’s a grumpy, old man. ‘Specially after that mess with SMAUG.” 

“I’ve seen him smile and laugh more in the past hour than I have in the past six months.” Fíli elaborated, and Bilbo’s brow scrunched in puzzlement. The only time he could remember Thorin not smiling was when he had told Bilbo about the fate of his family’s company, which was entirely understandable. Other than that, however, the man had been the very embodiment of joy.

“Not to mention, he’s never been this talkative before.” The younger added, almost as an afterthought.

Fíli nodded vigorously in agreement, “Oh yeah, usually, any attempts to talk to him would just result in grunts or monosyllabic answers.”

“Like talking to a wall!” Kíli continued, resulting in a small chuckle from both brothers. Frowning, Bilbo thought about how different that sounded from the Thorin he had come to know.

“Huh,” He said quietly, shaking his head. “That’s odd. I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation like that with him. He’s always been a wonderful companion for a chat.”

The elder brother shook his head in what seemed an almost pitying manner, while the younger scoffed quietly, “Not in our experience, mate.”

“It’s like he’s a different man with you, Bilbo,” Fíli said while examining him with appraising, thoughtful eyes. “I wonder why that is.”

Uncomfortable with feeling like he was being inspected under a microscope, Bilbo shifted awkwardly in his seat, at a loss for how to respond. Was that true? Did Thorin really act so strangely around him? What the brothers had described was baffling, and try as he might, Bilbo couldn’t picture an irritable Thorin, a silent Thorin. It just didn’t match with what he had seen so far. Maybe Fíli and Kíli were just exaggerating, maybe this was all part of some scheme of theirs, but even if that were the case, their words felt too genuine to have been purely lies. Could it be, perhaps, that what they had depicted was just how Thorin acted around the two of them? But that didn’t make sense, either, and Bilbo was left trying to make sense of it all.

When Thorin came back, normal conversation resumed, and yet he couldn’t help but get lost in thought, trying to solve this newest riddle. When they had finished eating, Bilbo absently offered to dispose of the trash from their meal, and he was too wrapped up in his own mind to register the despondent look Thorin sent him as he left the table. Pausing at the garbage can, he looked back and stared in confusion at the sight that greeted him. His friend had his arms crossed over his chest, petulant scowl on his face, looking for all the world like a puppy whose favorite toy had just been taken away. He wasn’t making any effort to engage in the conversation the brothers were having, merely looking down at the table as if he could glare it out of existence.

Bilbo hesitantly made his way back, wondering if something was wrong, and nearly tripped over his own foot when Thorin looked over and shot him a dazzling grin. He felt himself flush again, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kíli trying to stifle his giggles while Fíli just smirked at him with a distressingly knowing look. Thankfully, the sudden faint feeling that had overtaken him at the incredibly lovely view was enough to distract him from his discomfort, and with worryingly wobbly legs he stumbled the rest of the way over. Thorin stood up and lightly clapped him on the shoulder, and that brief moment of contact sent everything into a hazy blur. The next thing he knew, he was walking beside the older man, arms lightly brushing, on their way back to the apartment complex, shoulder pleasantly tingling where Thorin had touched it.

Once the four of them had arrived, Thorin parted ways with his nephews, hugging them both, and Bilbo felt an odd longing as he imagined how warm those hugs must be. After he had finished, Thorin entered the building, and he made to follow, having already said his goodbyes. The sound of Fíli addressing him, however, made him pause.

“Bilbo, wait!” He called out, voice containing an anxious edge. “Can I ask you something?” Bilbo turned back around to face the younger man, and he saw that he was nervously fiddling with his car keys. He nodded, slightly confused, but eager to help put the other at ease with whatever was troubling him.

Fíli hesitated, briefly glancing back at his brother, who was now waiting in the car, before continuing, “Take care of him, yeah? Uncle’s had a rough time of it, and he needs a friend like you.” He paused a beat. “You’re really good for him.”

Bilbo wasn’t at all prepared to comprehend the feelings those statements brought up, so he did the only thing he could think of doing, said the only thing that felt right, “I will, Fíli. I promise.”

The boy smiled with relief and gratitude, waving as he slid into the driver’s seat. Bilbo watched as they drove away, and he waited until they were out of sight before making his way inside. Thorin was waiting for him in the lobby, and they went up the stairs together in a comfortable silence, parting ways at Bilbo’s door with a promise to get together for tea the next day. Once inside his apartment, he slipped off his shoes and jacket, then went to his room to grab his journal. Settling down in his armchair by the window, Bilbo tried to think of what direction he wanted to take his book next.

He just couldn’t focus, though, no matter how hard he tried. All he could think about was the conversation he’d had with the brothers during lunch. Bilbo wondered what it could mean, that Thorin behaved so differently around him, and he wondered what it meant for their friendship. Then, he thought about the promise he had made Fíli, pondering all that it could entail. Thorin was a strong, able-bodied man, more than capable of looking out for himself; he didn’t need Bilbo to take care of him. Bilbo was short and weak, and he was really rather faint-hearted. He wasn’t particularly athletic, nor did he desire to be, and he wasn’t all that handy. What could someone like him possibly do for someone like Thorin?

But then, he remembered; Fíli had told him that what Thorin needed was a friend. With a gentle smile tugging at his lips, he realized that that was definitely something he could do. Even though the man rarely acted like it in his presence, Bilbo knew that his lot in life left something to be desired, and he knew that his friend must struggle with it. Recalling what the brothers had said today, he vowed that if Thorin was only ever going to be happy around him, then he would do everything he could to make him the happiest he’d ever been. He may not be all that experienced in having friends, but he knew that he would do anything, give everything to help Thorin. He had made a promise, not just to Fíli, but also to himself, and it was one he intended to keep.

And if this was all part of some elaborate scheme concocted by those two troublemakers, well, Bilbo found that he didn’t quite mind.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
